Yule Viking Festival 2025

Raise your horns and light the fires — the Yule Viking Festival 2025 returns to Gladewater, Texas, from December 5th to 21st, bringing with it an unforgettable journey into Norse history, myth, and winter magic. Held across three festive weekends, this event celebrates ancient Yule traditions just as the Vikings once did — with music, storytelling, fire, and feasting.

⚔️ A Celebration of the Old Ways

Hosted in the spirited village of New Uppsala, the festival opens on December 5th with a special general admission and ritual feast dinner from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM. The following weekends (December 6–7, 13–14, and 20–21) welcome visitors from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM, each day filled with live performances, market stalls, and immersive experiences celebrating Viking lore.

On December 13th, the energy intensifies with the much-anticipated “Loki Late Night” — an adults-only (21+) evening from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM, featuring fire shows, mead, and revelry inspired by the trickster god himself.

🎟️ Tickets are available through Eventeny – Yule Viking Festival 2025.

🔥 Ancient Traditions Brought to Life

The Yule Viking Festival is more than an event — it’s an immersive experience designed to honor the old Norse gods and customs. Visitors can listen to the Skalds as they recite tales from the Eddas and Sagas, recounting the heroic deeds of gods, kings, and warriors. Throughout the day, traditional Viking bands and entertainers fill the air with the sound of drums, lyres, and chants, while fire performers bring warmth and awe to the long winter nights.

Guests can savor freshly baked breads, hearty stews, and authentic mead — brewed locally with recipes that date back centuries. Between bites and songs, wander through artisan booths offering handmade crafts, furs, jewelry, and ceremonial goods inspired by Viking heritage.

🌲 Gladewater, Texas – The Perfect Setting for a Yule Celebration

Located in Gregg and Upshur Counties, Gladewater is a small East Texas town with a population of about 6,000 residents. Known for its antique shops, lakeside beauty, and community spirit, it provides the ideal rustic backdrop for this festival of fire and frost. Gladewater is easily accessible by car via U.S. Highway 80 or Interstate 20, making it a convenient day trip from cities like Tyler or Longview.

🍻 Feast, Fire & Fellowship

The heart of the Yule Viking Festival lies in its sense of kinship and shared celebration. Visitors are encouraged to participate, learn, and embrace the customs that shaped early winter solstice traditions — from the lighting of ceremonial fires to the honoring of gods like Odin, Freyja, and Thor. Whether you come for the stories, the music, or the mead, you’ll leave with memories steeped in the ancient spirit of Yule.

For more December festivities steeped in history and magic, explore Renaissance & Medieval Festivals in December 2025 and discover even more epic events across the Lone Star State at Renaissance & Medieval Festivals in Texas .